Discover What Goes Up Doesn’t Always Come Down

Film Premieres Saturday, September 8 During Cocktails & Cosmos Event

ORLANDO, FL (August 28, 2012) - With media headlines repeatedly warning us of debris falling from the skies, orbital debris – or “space junk” – has finally risen to the forefront of social consciousness. But what is space junk, how did it get there and just how serious is the problem?

On Saturday, September 8, discover the answers to these questions when Space Junk premieres in the Dr. Phillips CineDome at the Orlando Science Center. Its premiere marks the return of Cocktails and Cosmos, the Science Center’s social event where it opens its doors to an adults-only crowd for a night of entertainment and discovery. Following premiere screenings that evening, Space Junk will become part of the daily schedule in the Dr. Phillips CineDome on September 10. It will be screening at the Science Center through February 2013.

Narrated by Academy Award® Nominee Tom Wilkinson, Space Junk is he first movie to explore the exponentially expanding ring of debris that threatens the safety of our planet’s orbits. Harnessing the magical imagery of the giant screen, director Melissa Butts takes us soaring – from the stunning depths of Meteor Crater to an unprecedented view of our increasingly crowded orbits, 22,000 miles above earth.

In the film, Don Kessler, (ret.) Head of NASA’s Orbital Debris Office and the “Father of Space Junk,” reaches back to the beginning of our solar system for understanding and guides us through the challenges we face in protecting our orbits for the future. At risk is the future of space exploration and the safety of the extensive satellite network that powers our modern day communication systems. This visually explosive journey of discovery weighs the solutions aimed at restoring Earth’s orbits.

Fueling this story are stunning images that transport the viewer by wrapping us in star fields and allowing us to witness massive collisions in space – both natural and man-made – as though we were in the center of the action. “We set out to recreate the most spectacular orbital debris events with scientific accuracy and mind-blowing visualization,” Butts explains.

Melrae Pictures, in association with Red Barn Productions, presents Space Junk, narrated by Tom Wilkinson. Directed by Melissa Butts (3D Sun, Mars 3D). Produced by Melissa Butts and Kim Rowe. Written by Shane Colton. Lead visual effects by Luke Ployhar. Original music by Tom Hambleton, CAS. Director of photography: Reed Smoot, ASC. Space Junk is distributed globally by K2 Communications. The film is 38 minutes.

See the premiere of Space Junk during Cocktails and Cocktails at the Orlando Science Center, which costs $13. Cocktails and Cosmos will take place on the evening of Saturday, September 8 from 8 to 11 p.m. It is an adults-only event, providing a chance for grown-ups to experience the Science Center in a new way with films, guest speakers, cash bars and live programming.

Regular screenings of the film begin Monday, September 10 and are included with general admission, which costs $17 for adults and $12 for youth (ages 3-11). Tickets also provide access to the Science Center’s other giant screen films as well as exhibits and live programs. For more information on the Orlando Science Center, please call 407.514.2000. More information on the film can be found at www.SpaceJunk3D.com .

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